The present invention relates to flavoring meat products and, more particularly, to a method of producing a seasoned precooked meat product with one of a number of well-known flavored seasonings.
Commercial preparation of precooked bacon for sale to consumers is done in two ways. The first way involves the use of two belt grills made of Teflon receiving the bacon as it is sliced for subsequent movement to the oven. Thus, slicing is on-line and the bacon is ready for packaging after cooking and cooling. The second procedure involves the use of industrial microwaves and a conveyor belt carrying sliced cured pork bellies through the microwave for complete cooking. Thereafter, the bacon slices are cooled and packaged.
Flavoring meat products such as bacon, has traditionally been accomplished by dissolving solid or liquid seasonings flavored like maple, hickory smoke, cajun and black pepper into the brine formulation, which was thereafter pumped into the green (raw) pork bellies. The process works similarly to putting sugar into iced tea. Only so much sugar can be absorbed in the tea, and only so much of the flavor can be absorbed in the solution for the pork bellies.
Another procedure historically used involves topical application of the seasoning on the raw whole bellies, after pumping, but before cooking. Unfortunately, this procedure also results in the loss of a significant level of flavoring during subsequent processing, slicing and cooking.
Thus, there is still a desire and need to impart a flavored seasoning to meat products, and particularly bacon, that can be retained with the product after it has been cooked and packaged for shipment and which will remain at a significant level within the meat product until the product is consumed and allow for novel meat flavoring combinations to be developed. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.
The purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a method of uniquely flavoring a meat product such as bacon that has all of the advantages of prior art methods and more, and none of the disadvantages.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a process for uniquely flavored precooked meat products.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a process of the type described in which the flavored seasoning is applied to the cooked product and adheres thereto because of the grease, moisture or a combination of both resulting from the cooking process.
Yet still another objective of the present invention is to provide a process of the type described that will enable the application of a flavored seasoning from the group including taco, salsa, chili, fajitas, teriyaki, cajun, caribbean, Italian, brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, maple, honey garlic, nacho, honey mustard, barbecue, cheese, chive and onion, sour cream and onion, and ranch, which, when combined with existing natural curing smoked meat flavor, will generate new hybrid flavors with substantial consumer appeal.
Yet still a further objective of the present invention is to provide a method of the type described which will enable the flavoring and packaging of meat products that will retain, at a high intensity, the flavoring until consumed and that will have an extended refrigerated shelf life of the flavor intensity.
These objectives are accomplished by the provision of a method of producing a seasoned precooked meat product, such as bacon, wherein the product is sized into individual, separate units, and heated to cook the meat product units and generate grease exudate. A selected seasoning is then applied to the meat product units to commingle and adhere to the grease and, thereafter, the cooked and seasoned units are packaged in anaerobic atmosphere bags. These flavored units can be frozen and maintained in a refrigerated condition for an extended period of time. The anaerobic packaging environment provides a substantial barrier to fat oxidation and the generation of off-flavors.
Thus, there has been outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and it should not be regarded as limiting in any respect. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of this development.